Soup Date
by wallscollide
Summary: Stef cancels their plans due to the flu, but Lena has other ideas. Stef/Lena. Pre-Pilot. One-shot.


**A/N: **I own nothing except my idea for this story. Enjoy.

* * *

_2003_

Stef is woken up by the sound of knocking at her front door. She slowly gets up from the couch to answer it. "I'm coming, I'm coming..." She is surprised to see the person on the other side. "Lena? What are you doing here?"

"To see you, of course." Stef had canceled their date because she'd picked up the flu from God-knows-where the day before. She has her hair pulled back in a messy bun and a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She looks pale, exhausted, and bleary-eyed. "Did I wake you?"

Stef gives her a look that says, _ya think?_ "Lena, you should go home. You don't want this, trust me."

She rolls her eyes. "Are you gonna let me in or what?"

Stef gives up, too tired to fight her girlfriend's tenaciousness. "Sure. Come on in." She shuts the door behind Lena and shuffles back to the couch with her blanket, coughing.

"Is Brandon here?"

"No, he's at Mike's until I'm better." She pulls a Kleenex from the box and blows her nose, falling back against the cushions. "I feel like crap."

Lena sets her purse and paper bag down on the coffee table, sitting next to Stef. "You're burning up," she sighs.

"101; Down from 102 yesterday, I'm on the mend," she assures her. That is all but gone when a coughing fit rears its ugly head.

"You sure sound like it," Lena says with a smirk and stands to go to the kitchen. She returns to the living room with water and Stef takes a sip of it. "You should be in bed."

"This is closer to the kitchen. I don't have the energy to go up and down the stairs." She sets the glass down and swings her legs in order to lie down.

"Well, now that I'm here..."

"Lena, if this is about the date, I'm sorry."

"This is not about the date. I don't care about that. I wanna take care of you," Lena confides sincerely, looking away from her.

Stef could hear the hurt in her voice. "I'm sorry, love. I've just kinda gotten used to being alone ever since Mike and I..."

"It's okay; I did kinda barge over here. I should've called first."

Stef smiles a bit at her impulsiveness.

"I brought soup," Lena remarks, gesturing to the brown bag.

"I'm not really hungry," Stef replies, tired.

"You need some nourishment."

"I've got all the nourishment I need right here." Stef reaches over to pour herself some more medicine.

Lena gently stops her. "Funny, I don't remember NyQuil having its own food group."

"It's a new addition," Stef retorts with a laugh, pressing a tissue against her running nose.

"C'mon." Lena pats the spot next to her and helps Stef sit up. She takes the container out of the bag, opens it, and grabs the spoon. "It's chicken noodle."

"From BB's?"

"Yeah." Lena made sure to get it from Stef's favorite deli in downtown San Diego; they went there on one of their first dates. She holds a spoonful up to her girlfriend's lips.

"I think I can feed myself. I'm sick, not helpless." She takes a second inventory of her symptoms and realizes that she's largely concentrating on holding herself upright. "On second thought...proceed." Stef opens her mouth and takes a bite. "It feels good on my throat," she admits, chewing on the soft noodles and vegetables.

"See?" Lena scoops up another bite for Stef which she accepts. After a few more, Stef protests, claiming lightheadedness.

"I think I just need to sleep," she sighs, closing her eyes in an attempt to make her head stop pounding.

Lena smooths her back and goes to put the soup in the refrigerator. She returns to pour her a dose of NyQuil. "Here. Drink up."

Stef knocks back the red liquid and chases it down with a drink of water. She sets her head back down on her pillows, shivering. She decides to take advantage of having another person in the house. "Lena?"

"Yeah, honey?"

"Can you get me another blanket? Closet under—"

"The stairs," she finishes, "I know." Lena retrieves one and drapes it over her, tucking it in slightly. "Better?"

"Yeah, thanks. Ugh, seriously?" She sniffles.

"What's—"

"_'Chew!_"

"Bless—"

"_Aht'chew! ... Aht'CHEW!_"

"_Bless_ you." Lena hands her coughing, sniffling girlfriend a few Kleenex.

"Thank you." Stef lets the soiled, crumpled tissue fall to the floor and uses the fresh ones. "You can stay if you want, my clothes will fit you."

Lena smiles at her concession. "Get some rest." She picks out a book and settles in the loveseat next to the couch, listening to Stef's even breaths as the medicine kicks in.

* * *

Stef wakes up some time after midnight. She lifts her head to see Lena passed out on the loveseat beside her, pajamas and all.

Not wanting to disturb her, she smiles and goes back to sleep.


End file.
